Agricultural implements such as tractors, combines and cotton harvesters include various rotatably driven mechanisms for operating different implement components. Proper lubrication of such mechanisms facilitate their operation by reducing failure resulting from friction and wear of the component parts thereof.
A typical cotton harvester includes a plurality of harvesting units Each harvesting unit has a rotatable harvesting mechanism arranged in combination therewith. Between 20 and 30 individual grease or lubricant fittings are typically provided on each harvesting unit. Each grease fitting must be located and lubricated with a proper amount of lubricant on a daily basis during the harvesting season. Extensive time is spent, therefore, providing proper lubrication of the various mechanisms on the agricultural implement. As will be appreciated, time is of premium concern during the harvesting season.
Various approaches have been proposed to reduce the time and effort required to lubricate or grease the various operational mechanisms of the agricultural implement. Such proposals typically involve a metering pump whose inlet is connected to a grease or lubricant reservoir on the agricultural implement. The pump withdraws lubricant from a reservoir and supplies pressurized lubricant from an outlet end thereof to various operable mechanisms on the implement. Unlike some other lubrication systems, the grease provided to the operational mechanisms on the agricultural implements is lost during operation of the implement and is not returned to the lubricant reservoir. Accordingly, after repeated lubrication procedures, the grease or lubricant in the reservoir is consumed and the lubricant reservoir must be refilled.
To refill or charge the grease reservoir, a truck having a supply barrel filled with lubricant is positioned proximate to the agricultural implement. An ancillary or separate grease pump on the refill truck is operated to withdraw grease from the supply source in a manner refilling the lubricant reservoir on the agricultural implement. The redundant provision of a lubricant pump on the agricultural implement and a lubricant pump on the refill truck adds to the overall operational costs of the agricultural implement and adds complexity to a relatively simple lubrication system.